Heaven Is Real
Through the Eyes of a Three-Year-Old Boy
Whether
you believe the story completely or not, Heaven
Is for Real will grab the your attention
and hold it throughout the book. The book recounts a little
boy's astonishing story of his trip to heaven and back.
The
reader has two choices to make: either the child went to heaven
or thinks he did (which to him means he did it) or the parents
used their child as a way of publishing a top-rated book.
Frankly, the Burpos's come across as much too kind and caring
to abuse (and that is what it would be) their own child in
this manner.
A great
deal of space is devoted to the family hardships prior to
Colton's (the name of the little boy) adventure. The reader
will soon see why this is important to the whole story.
There
are some parts that the reader may bicker with the child about
heaven. For example the way people will look when we meet
them in heaven. I thought that is not the way it will be,
and then I thought who am I to argue with a little boy who
has been there and back when all I have is my preconceived
notions of what it might be like.
I came
to know about this book through comments from my friends on
Facebook so I decided to ask them for comments on the book.
Bobby Akers, a former student and high school teacher, said,
“Whether it happened or not (and I believe it did) the
book has inspired thousands of people. Isn't that what truly
counts?” Janice Shepherd, who used to be my editor at
the local newspaper, said, “Read it too, Willie. I believe
it is real—after all, Heaven is real..and such is (the
innocence of children) is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Vee
Honea, another former student wrote, “I was most impressed
with how much it changed the lives of his family and how it
inspired them during such difficult times. We so often spend
too much time wondering if good things are real and neglect
to see the wonderful ripple effect.
A
former fellow teacher Joan Caldwell reported, “Mr. E.
I would have said it was one of the most compelling books
I have read IF I had not just finished reading Mary Beth Chapman
Choosing
To See. Now that book swept me
away and left me unable to compare it with any other nonfiction.
I had to put it down a number of times and just weep. It has
stayed with me a long time.” So I got her general impression
of
Heaven Is for Real and
the lead to another nonfiction book. Look for a column on
that one in the future.
One other
comment on the book. The publishers certainly knew their marketing
skill on this one. Just look at the book on the shelf with
the little boy's photo and the book practically begs you to
pick it up and read it.
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